Park Ji-sung vs Raymond Kopa: Stats Compared
Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014) · Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967)
The Park Ji-sung–Raymond Kopa comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Park Ji-sung finishes with 60 career goals from 550 games — a 0.11 strike rate — against Raymond Kopa's 150 from 450 at 0.33 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Park Ji-sung is credited with 60 and Raymond Kopa with 0. Trophy counts give Park Ji-sung 5 and Raymond Kopa 5, with 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) and 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959) the standout honours respectively. One lifted trophies through dictatorial reliability, the other through predatory moments that decided finals. Club journeys add another layer, with Park Ji-sung reaching his representative peak around 2008 across Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers and Raymond Kopa doing so around 1958 with Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
176 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
The first Asian player to win the Champions League and reach a World Cup semi-final, Park was renowned for his tireless work rate and big-game performances for Manchester United.
“A relentless, selfless box-to-box midfielder whose stamina and tactical discipline made him invaluable in the biggest matches.”
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Professional debut for Kyoto Purple Sanga
- 2007 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 2008 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 2008 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Queens Park Rangers
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Park Ji-sung takes it by a clear margin.
Park Ji-sung edges it (a clear margin)
